Jedi Don't Cuddle
by SerendipityAEY
Summary: Jedi don't cuddle... or do they? A series of vignettes. Fourth vignette added, just a bit of fluff :D Obi-Wan, Siri, Anakin, Clones. More to come
1. Chapter 1

Mud. Dirty, wet, sloppy, caked-on mud. Obi-Wan was covered – head to toe – in one way or another. It was stuck in great globs to his boots, coated on the front of his tunics, splattered across his face and saturated in his beard.

Obi-Wan and Anakin had led the front lines against the battalion of B1 battle droids that had invaded this temperate, usually peaceful planet.

The torrential rain had begun as the battle had – fierce and unrelenting. It was as if Mother Nature herself had revolted, taking part in the melee as heavy drops of rain carried by a tempestuous wind lashed at the soldiers on the ground below.

The battle had not been difficult, but it had been long, droids appearing in droves, seeming to grow right out of the fertile soil. And casualties seemed to be minimal, but still Obi-Wan felt weary. His muscles ached, his body protested each movement, his heart grieved. How long would the fighting continue? How long could it?

As he trudged through the boggy terrain back to the make-shift camp, pushed through the muck, so too he pushed through the inky darkness at the edges of his mind, embracing the light.

He was grateful he fought machines and not beings. He was grateful for the opportunity to help those who could not defend themselves. And he was grateful for the comrades that stood beside him – his fellow Jedi, Cody and his brothers, all those who believed in doing what was right.

And speaking of his fellow Jedi... as he caught sight of Anakin, he had a sneaking, irritating suspicion that they had fared much better than him. Anakin had been in a different position than him and had somehow managed to remain only _half_ covered in mud. His hair was matted to his head, but his face was clean, and he seemed no worse for wear, basking in victory, Obi-Wan was certain.

Anakin was directing the 'clean-up' and Obi-Wan decided he seemed to have it all under control. The mud on his face was just beginning to dry and it was starting to make his skin itch.

Rubbing at his jaw, he cast a glowering look to the darkening cloud filled sky. If the rain had deigned to continue, he could have at least rinsed the mud from his face and hands. But no such luck for Obi-Wan Kenobi today.

And as he approached the camp, he spotted his other fellow Jedi General, the one they had skipped their leave to assist, looking as – _Siri_ – as she always did.

Her clothes were damp, yes, but they were as clean as ever. Obi-Wan easily recognized the tiredness behind her clear blue eyes, but her face was the picture of Jedi serenity. And not a single blonde hair looked out of place. At least not to him.

His eyes narrowed as he approached her – he was seriously beginning to question her motivation behind her decision to command the support unit from the mud-free safety of the AT-TE's. Alright, it _had _been at _his_ suggestion, but she sure had gone along with it easily enough.

And she looked far too clean for a respectable Jedi General. It would be remiss of him, as a friend and a colleague, to not rectify this situation as soon as possible.

Stepping beside her, he crossed his arms over his chest as she turned to meet him.

"Obi-Wan! You look..."

"Terrible. It's alright, you can say it. I feel terrible, at the moment."

"I'm sorry," she cast him a sympathetic look and seemed to start to reach out to him, but then pulled back.

_Oh, so _now_ she finds me distasteful._

"You were fantastic though," she said brightly, "good job."

"Thank you, as were you. But I still feel terrible." He eyed her appraisingly. _Yes, far too clean. _"I could use a bit of comfort."

"Comfort?" she choked out, her tone disbelieving; Siri bit her lip and he knew she was trying not to laugh.

"Yes." His voice was matter-of-fact. "You know, a kind gesture from a friend. A simple hug will do, I think."

Her eyes widened as he took a step towards her, his arms outstretched, and the extent of the mud that covered his chest became evident.

"No, no, no." Siri took a hasty step backward, one hand held up as if that alone could ward off his advances. "Remember that night on Alderaan... we – you told me Jedi _don't_ cuddle. You were very clear about it."

The corner of his mouth lifted as she took another small step and ended up with her back against the tent wall. Right where he wanted her. "And you told me there is a time and place for everything, an exception to every rule. I'm only asking for a little compassion and support from a friend."

Siri frowned, but Obi-Wan wasn't deemed The Negotiator for no reason. She had two choices now – either admit she had been wrong, or give in and give him a cuddle despite the fact she had managed to stay nearly pristine and he was a dirty mess.

And with a flash of movement, she surprised him yet again. Flinging her arms around his neck, she pressed the full length of her body to his, locking him in a tight embrace.

Laughing, she leaned back to look at him after a moment and gave him a quick kiss high on his left cheek, one of the few spots he assumed was still clean.

"There," she grinned at him. "Are you happy now, you crazy gundark?"

He smiled back, his arms still wrapped around her waist. Maybe this wasn't so bad...

"Hey!"

Siri pulled away just enough to look in the direction of Anakin's shout, grimacing as the brown glop made the front of her jumpsuit cling to Obi-Wan's tunic.

"What's going on here?" Anakin asked, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"Obi-Wan just needed a cuddle," Siri answered, patting his shoulder. "Poor guy."

"But," Anakin shot an accusing glance at Obi-Wan, "you told me Jedi don't cuddle!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong> Val told me Jedi don't cuddle :O And it begged a story, so many, many thanks to Val for the idea! Much thanks to laloga, as well, just because she is the awesomest :D

Don't forget to review!


	2. Chapter 2

"Obi-Wan? I mean – Master?"

"Yes, Anakin?" Obi-Wan answered, but his attention was solely focused on the proprietor of the salacious establishment they were in, who was, at the moment, shuffling around nervously behind the bar. He could feel the uneasiness and guilt rolling off of him as if 'Don't trust me' was tattooed on his forehead and Obi-Wan was reticent to lose sight of him until he figured out if he was going to cause trouble or was just fidgety.

"What was playing on that viewscreen?"

_Oh dear._

"You know, when we walked in? The owner turned it off real quick, but..."

Obi-Wan turned to Anakin who was sitting across the table from him. The club was brightly lit, but there were no outside windows. Even on this level there were rules; no windows meant in the evening there could be as many scantily clad females dancing about as an owner wanted. Very few buildings here had windows.

Still, Obi-Wan had thought even a place such as this one would be innocent enough during mid-day for his very young apprentice, but it seemed he'd been wrong. Again.

He hadn't seen anything inappropriate when they'd walked in, the place was nearly empty, but apparently Anakin had. "Don't let your mind be distracted, Anakin. Focus on the present, on the mission."

"Yes, Master."

Obi-Wan spared another glance across the table at Anakin. He seemed deep in thought, his forehead knitted in concentration and Obi-Wan was forced to question himself - did he mean what he had said, or had he only been trying to avoid having to answer?

Before he could think about it, the owner shifted unexpectedly, reaching jerkily below the bar. Obi-Wan tensed, his hand resting on his lightsaber for assurance, but the he'd only been grabbing for a bottle of whisky and a glass, pouring a shot and gulping it down.

Was it the mere presence of Jedi that was making him so agitated, or was he hiding something more sinister? Obi-Wan widened his perceptions through the Force as if sifting through waves of sand for something illusive.

Ultimately, he sensed no deception, beyond what one would expect, only anxiety. He made a mental note to drop in some evening, though, just in case. No one should be this nervous in the presence of one Jedi and a padawan.

"Master – Obi-Wan?"

"Yes?" He gave Anakin his full attention now he was certain they weren't about to be ambushed.

"Is this really a mission?"

Obi-Wan smiled. "Yes, Anakin, I told you I received a message to meet with a contact of mine. Master Qui-Gon taught me it's important to have acquaintances from many different walks of life that you can trust. Important information can come from any variety of sources."

"Oh."

Glad for the momentary change of subject, Obi-Wan leaned back in the padded booth, but to his dismay, the owner flicked the viewscreen on once again. Thankfully, it seemed to be a sports event of some kind, but Anakin looked up, clearly perplexed, a slightly confused expression on his face.

Obi-Wan sighed, unable to help wondering what Qui-Gon would have done in this situation... but it didn't take him long to figure it out. He would have faced the question head on, calm and frank, no doubt.

Nothing had ever seemed to embarrass Qui-Gon, though Obi-Wan couldn't recall ever asking him about sex. He remembered learning much of what he knew at that age from peers - not always correct information, but informative in its own way, to be sure.

Anakin had not yet found a way to fit in with his age mates at the Temple, and as a slave, had very little time for friends on Tatooine. Obi-Wan was grateful, however, Anakin had not seemed to be exposed to some of the more baser experiences of slavery.

That left the teaching, for now, entirely up to him.

"Do you want to talk about what you saw, Anakin? On the vid?"

Anakin shifted to face him, sitting up a little straighter. "I thought you said to focus on the mission?"

"Reach out with your feelings, do you sense any danger?"

Letting his gaze drift, Anakin was only quiet for a second before he answered. "No, Master."

"We seem to have an extra minute or two, if you'd like to talk."

His brow furrowed again and he stared at the table before casting Obi-Wan a serious expression. "It was a man and a woman... the owner seemed embarrassed when he saw me looking, but I'm not sure what they were doing..."

"What did it look like they were doing?"

"Well... it sort of looked like he was giving her a big hug... like... my mom always gave me a cuddle at night before I went to bed. I really liked that."

_Alright, this didn't sound so bad. Maybe it wasn't..._

"But these people didn't have any clothes on," he added.

_Oh dear._

Obi-Wan paused. "There are different types of hugs, Ankain," he started, sounding much more sure than he felt. "Your mother liked to give you a hug because she loves you and she wanted to give you comfort. When a man and a woman love each other... sometimes they like to – cuddle – as well. It's also a form of comfort, but it's different." Obi-Wan smiled gently, feeling pleased with himself as Anakin nodded in understanding.

"Which kind of cuddle do you like, Master?"

Obi-Wan would have choked, had he anything to choke on. Anakin just looked at him, confused and oblivious to the implications of his question.

"Jedi don't cuddle." It was the first, and only thing Obi-Wan could think of to say.

"Oh," Anakin's face fell as he considered this startling bit of news.

Taking a deep breath, Obi-Wan tried to think of a better way to explain when his contact strode in through the front door, a bright beam of afternoon sunlight shining across the floor in front of her. "We'll finish this discussion later, Anakin."

_Maybe Master Yoda will know what to say,_ he thought, then he shook his head, quickly dismissing that disconcerting idea.

_Maybe Anakin will forget_. But Obi-Wan had a feeling, with Anakin, this conversation was going to come up more than once.

* * *

><p>More (not) cuddling! (thanks to laloga) And I still have plans for this, as well :D Feedback inspires me to do more and better, so please take a second to let me know what you think.<p>

Thank you to everyone for the great reviews on the first part!

Just in case, if you're following the adventures of Aala, rest assured I'm still working hard on that as well. I'm writing ahead a bit, for a change, I have about three parts (roughly) written. I plan on posting first thing in December.

Thanks for reading! ~Ashley


	3. Chapter 3

"Have you ever been in love, General?"

Commander Cody had not even realized he'd spoken the words aloud until General Kenobi turned to face him, one eyebrow arched high on his brow. As the discerning blue gaze fixated on him alone, Cody felt a flare of panic, but then Anakin gave a snort of laughter from across the worn table and Obi-Wan's attention was diverted.

The diversion, however, was brief.

After a stern glare shot in Anakin's direction, Obi-Wan turned straight back to Cody, but now a measure of wry amusement shown in his eyes. "How many have you had?" he asked, nodding toward his clone commander's near empty mug of ale.

Staring blankly at his glass, Cody could recall the first, when he, Obi-Wan, Anakin and his clone Sergeant, Whisky, had arrived at the tavern; and the second round, the barkeep had offered on the house – Cody thanked him graciously and insisted they would pay for all the rest – and then... he'd been caught up in conversation with Obi-Wan and Anakin, joking around with Whisky, and reliving battle stories, and he knew he'd been drinking the whole time but had no idea as to when his glass had been refilled or how often.

Cody looked back up at Obi-Wan. "I lost count after two, sir..."

"Six!" Whisky offered cheerfully in his gruff voice as he raised his own mug in salute. "We're having a contest."

Cody frowned. "We are?" His mind was a little fuzzy, but certainly he would remember...

Anakin chuckled and stood up as he finished his own glass. "I see no reason to slow down now, boys. Not when the conversation is just starting to get interesting. Next round's on me."

No one protested. They were stuck here at least another day, while they waited for a new transport and Anakin had insisted they all take a night off.

He returned in under a minute, gripping two glasses by the handles in each hand and setting them on the table with a loud clink. "So, let's hear it," Anakin said as he settled in his chair, a mischievous edge to his smile. "Have you ever been in love, General Kenobi?"

_Oh, yeah. That._ Cody felt bad, now, for bringing the subject up. Obi-Wan looked entirely as if he had no inclination to answer that question, but Anakin continued to prod him and Cody _was_ curious.

"You're among friends, right?" Anakin spread his arms wide, indicating the four of them seated at the small round table. Indeed, there were few other patrons in the tavern, late as it was.

Obi-Wan took a long drink of the stout Corellian Ale they were drinking and set his mug on the table, his expression unreadable. "There have been a few women I have cared for."

Anakin tipped his chair back as he laughed. "We're not talking about Master Luminara or Jocasta Nu, here, Obi-Wan."

Cody ran his hand across his short hair as he wondered what that meant. Jedi and their Order were a mystery to him. Peacekeepers that led armies. Warriors that relied on a mystical power. Wise philosophers that made snap strategic decisions in the heat of battle. _But what about love?_

Cody took another gulp of the frothy alcohol, enjoying the way it fizzed over his tongue and the hazy, soothing feeling it gave him.

And Anakin, still smiling, asked his question for him. "Have you _loved_ a woman?"

Obi-Wan's hand came to his chin, his fingers rubbing at his jaw before his hands dropped to the table, but he didn't look bothered. In fact, he looked just a little bit like Cody felt.

"There's one..." he murmured, his eyes going out of focus for a moment before he snapped back and looked up. "Was. There _was_... What brought this on?" He asked abruptly, a rough edge to his accent that made the question sound more like a command.

Cody felt the flush in his cheeks, though he wasn't sure if it was solely because of the alcohol as he considered what to say. "There was a family – in that group of hostages we rescued –"

Despite the affect of the spirits, he saw them clearly in his mind: a strong father clutching protectively to his wife and young son, not willing to leave them, but ready to defend them – a true reason to fight, something worth fighting for.

" – and I started to think... about what might happen... after the war."

"Ah, I see," Obi-Wan said, his tone understanding. "A valid concern."

"Don't mind him, sir," Whisky interjected. "He always gets sentimental when he's drinking. Bit of a lightweight, I reckon."

Cody frowned at him. He didn't drink often, and he certainly hadn't with Whisky before. Not that he could remember, anyway. And were the lights flickering or was that his imagination? Shrugging, he raised his mug of ale to his lips, downing the remaining half in one swig.

A moment later, Whisky was setting glass number seven, no, number eight, in front of him and the room began to spin, but Cody couldn't get the thought of love out of his head.

* * *

><p>Obi-Wan watched, with just a touch of alarm, as Cody downed nearly half a glass of ale in one drink.<p>

_Ah well_, he thought and took another long drink himself. Admittedly, after four he was beginning to feel something of a buzz as well. And the opportunity to unwind came too rarely for them in this war.

Cody wiped the back of his hand across his mouth and nodded his head thoughtfully. "I think I'd like to have a woman."

Anakin chuckled again and Obi-Wan shook his head. "It's not – you don't _have_ –"

"I've been with a woman." Whisky spoke up, a smug expression on his face. "An extended covert operation on Basarahh last year - we had a few nights to - learn the culture. She couldn't keep her hands off me."

"How was it?" Anakin asked with a grin.

His smile was nothing short of satisfied. "Gooood..." he drew the word out as he nodded. "Kinda messy, though..." he added thoughtfully.

Obi-Wan coughed, only just managing not to spit out a mouthful of ale.

"Messy?" Cody looked concerned.

"Wet," he clarified. Obi-Wan closed his eyes, sighing as Anakin let out a loud burst of laughter.

Cody was unperturbed by his amusement, though. "Wet?" he asked, confusion lacing his voice.

"There was a lot of kissing," he grinned. "A lot. She did this thing with her tongue – it was amazing."

Obi-Wan couldn't help but chuckle himself when Whisky got a sort of far away look in his eyes.

"And?" Anakin encouraged. He finished his ale, setting it on the table with a clunk and motioning to the barkeep.

"And it got messy after awhile." Whisky gulped his ale, and belched.

"There's more than just kissing, you know," Anakin said with a gleam in his eye.

Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows.

"I've heard,"he amended, glancing at his former Master, but Obi-Wan noticed the gleam did not fade.

"She didn't want to do anything else," Whisky admitted ruefully. "Maybe I was doing something wrong."

"Or maybe you were doing the kissing part really well," Anakin offered.

As Obi-Wan neared the end of his fifth glass, he _knew_ he had a buzz. He was just a little warmer, and he had a pleasant, fuzzy feeling that made him feel at ease. He let his mind wander...

_Kissing. Kissing could be nice... warm lips..._

And the rest_... silky hair, soft skin, dips and curves..._

He'd heard.

But then Whisky was talking again. "I admit," he said roughly, "I'm not entirely sure what to do after the kissing... How to really please a woman... I mean, I've seen holopics and stuff, but – "

Cody was nodding as he turned back to Obi-Wan, swaying a little, and for a moment Obi-Wan thought he was going to topple right off his chair but he braced himself with his hands on the table. "That's what I want to know," he said after he composed himself. "What do women really like?"

Three sets of eyes focused on Obi-Wan – Anakin with an amused, know-it-all glint, Whisky with a gleam of mischievous interest, and Cody with earnest curiosity. And Obi-Wan turned to Anakin.

"Oh no," Anakin laughed out loud. "I don't know anything. You're the Master. Enlighten us, General Kenobi."

Well, it was true, he'd never had any complaints. Not that he –

Obi-Wan took another drink and cleared his throat. After all, this was just a friendly discussion among friends. Four men, blowing off steam.

"Hmmm... women... –" His hand came to his chin.

_Warm lips._ He shifted in his chair.

_Soft curves..._

"Women like – "

_How long had they been fighting this blasted war? How much ale had he had?_

"Women like – to be... held."

Anakin smirked. Obi-Wan ignored him.

"That's all?" Whisky tilted his head, looking perplexed. "All they want is a hug?" But Cody nodded, his amber eyes serious, as if the mysteries of the galaxy had been revealed to him.

"It's a good start," Obi-Wan said. "And a good end, if you do it right."

"How will we know?" Whisky asked, a mock frown on his face. "Could you demonstrate a good hug – with Cody?" He gestured toward his brother.

His expression might have been staid, but the wicked gleam of humor in his eyes told Obi-Wan that he was joking and Anakin was trying, less successfully, to hold his laughter back with one hand pressed to his mouth. "That's a good idea, Whisky," he said, attempting to sound contemplative. "I think we'd all appreciate the lesson, Obi-Wan." At this, Anakin couldn't help the amusement in his voice, and Obi-Wan cast him a droll look.

But then Cody shifted, he made to get up, his arms starting to lift. "Okay, sir..."

"No." Obi-wan shook his head at Cody, but only after a long pause – too long. Maybe they'd all had one, or three, too many.

Anakin and Whisky were doubled over in laughter, but Cody had a baffled sort of look in his eyes. "General?"

Obi-Wan shook his head again. "Jedi Generals don't cuddle - _hiccup_ - their commanders."

Minutes and minutes later, when Anakin and Whisky had finally regained control of themselves, the General suggested they all call it a night. The next morning came too soon, only a few hours later, but Obi-Wan woke with only a slight headache and feeling just a bit tired. For very different reasons, Clones and Jedi alike had a quick recovery time from the affects of alcohol, but still, Obi-Wan had had strange, strange dreams...

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong> This is for all you amazing TCW writers who still continue to support me and review, even despite my 'to a fault' love of Obi-Wan. Many, many thanks to laloga and Queen for masterfully implanting this idea, a true 'inception', and also BunBun Fett as well, for the encouragement and 'brainstorming' which quickly turned into just being silly, but was a lot of fun. _Someone,_ I don't care who, owes me two Obi-Wan stories! One of them should include Obi-Wan in a cage...

And special thanks to laloga, for making sure it was acceptable. I haven't been nervous to have a story beta'ed in a long time ;) If you haven't checked out her work, please do! If you like Cody and company, her oc clones are truly fantastic, and if you like Obi-Wan, she has some fabulous Obi-Wan stories mixed in there as well!

FYI: Whisky is a clone of my own creation, he was in chapter 8 of Fallen, and hopefully I will find even more use for him in the future ;)

Please review and let me know what you think! I have at least one or two more planned - more Siri and Obi-Wan coming next!


	4. Chapter 4

Darkness was prevalent, though stark moonlight shone through the small windows of the hut providing a little relief. The air was heavy with the heat of the desert, not quite able to lift, even in the night.

Though _he_ was sound asleep, comfort seemed illusive to her_._

Sighing, she shifted a little but the – the – _log_ lying next to her didn't even stir.

So she sighed a little louder, and wiggled a little more and his arm, which felt like an iron chain, pulled snug around her waist pressing her back into his chest.

It wasn't that he didn't have a nice chest – he had a very nice chest. In fact, she was quite happy with all the parts of his body, but she was just tired, and she couldn't fall asleep, and she was really..._ tired_.

She sighed again.

"What is it?" His voice was a little rough and husky from sleep and it almost startled her in the dark. Now she felt bad for waking him.

_Ah well._

"Move over." She tried to sound annoyed, but his fingers were skimming little circles over her stomach and it tickled. "Stop..." Smiling, she nearly laughed, but managed to contain it. She squeezed his hand once then made an effort to get comfortable again.

Lifting his arm, he scooted back away from her a bit. "Sorry, love."

_Love._

Much to her chagrin, she melted just a little every time he called her that in his soft accent. She was so unused to the endearment, but she imagined even years from now it would still have the same affect on her.

"It's alright," she said softly. "It's just so warm."

"There's not much room for me to move," he said, a tinge of regret in his tone. "And there's not much I can do about the heat. The 'warm' season is almost over, at least."

He scooted again and the blanket fell down around her hips. Maybe it was her imagination, but she swore she felt a blissful hint of cooler air.

But she felt silly for complaining, and after a few long minutes she found herself missing his touch. Turning to her other side, she faced him in the dim light. "I'm not – I'm just not used to sleeping with someone every night."

"Honeymoon's over, hm?" he smiled.

She laughed softly. "I just need a - _tiny_ - bit of space. I promise, there's nowhere else I'd rather be. Of course, had I known..." she started, teasing him.

"Hm?"

"I was under the impression Jedi didn't like to cuddle."

"Ha," he scoffed with a grin. "I don't know where you could've picked up such nonsense."

"Righttt..." she laughed.

"Anyway," his voice was suddenly softer, slower, and it gave her pause. "There are no – "

She pressed her fingers to his lips. _Of all the stupid things to bring up..._

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

He shook his head, and the corner of his mouth lifted in a half smile telling her it was alright. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Good." He gave her a full smile then and before she knew, his arm shot out to wrap around her waist and he was dragging her back against his body. "Now, come here. I've got a lifetime of cuddling to make up."

Groaning, she struggled half heartedly against him, but it was no use and soon they were laughing together.

In the end, he fell asleep again with his hand resting gently at her waist and she couldn't imagine anything better than this.

* * *

><p><em>Just a little fluff for a Saturday morning (it's still morning here!) :D This was not the chapter I had originally planned next, but this would not leave me alone so it had to be let out. 'That night on Alderaan' coming soon... Please leave a comment and thanks for reading!<em>


End file.
